Associate Counsel

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. From delivering differentiated products to providing world-class customer service, we operate with a strong risk mindset, ensuring we continue to uphold our brand promise of trust, security, and service.

As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career. Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

The LST’s mission is to provide efficient, consistent, innovative, and high-quality, legal support across business units, staff groups and jurisdictions. We are looking for a motivated, proactive, junior lawyer, experienced in commercial contracts, who will be part of this lively team.

Primary responsibilities:

Contribute as an independent, trusted legal advisor to GCO and to the wider Amex business by:

• Identifying and effectively handling legal risk
• Taking instructions from and supporting your team leader, other lawyers, or legal teams in GCO, primarily across the EMEA region, and beyond as required
• Providing sound, commercial, legal advice and support across all business units, including drafting, reviewing, analysing and negotiating a wide range of agreements and legal documents such as procurement, marketing and sponsorship agreements
• Supporting internal governance and approval processes, including coordinating internal partners as appropriate
• Instructing and collaborating closely with outside counsel to obtain, challenge and finalise legal advice/opinions on projects and agreements
• Carrying out legal research on behalf of GCO colleagues
• Handling company secretarial matters and other LST workstreams, as required

Working with other LST team members, including:

• Improving methods for legal knowledge management and supporting LST training and upskilling programme
• Ensuring LST’s adherence to any company-wide and GCO-specific processes and procedures

Minimum Qualifications

• Junior UK-qualified solicitor (or hold an equivalent qualification from a common law jurisdiction, provided you have some experience advising on English law matters)

• Experience of drafting and advising on commercial contracts in a practical and commercial manner with strong research and analytical skills

• Ability to effectively multi-task, prioritise and work as part of a team or autonomously under time pressure to meet deadlines and manage clients’ expectations

• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, reliably, and persuasively with clients, senior business people, legal management and external regulators, both orally and in writing
• Commitment to integrity and American Express value

• Preferred Experience
• Fluency in French/German/ Italian /Spanish would be beneficial
• In-house experience in financial services would be beneficial 
• Cross-jurisdictional experience is preferred, but not required (e.g. EMEA, APAC, LAC)

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the UK is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.  

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries 

• Bonus incentives 

• Support for financial-well-being and retirement 

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits (depending on location) 

• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need 

• Generous paid parental leave policies (depending on your location) 

• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location) 

• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program 

• Career development and training opportunities

Offer of employment with American Express is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background verification check, subject to applicable laws and regulations.